The company had posted a net profit of Rs 158.8 crore in the same period of previous fiscal.

Net sales of the company rose by 17.41 per cent to Rs 1,909.61 crore in the first quarter, as against Rs 1,626.34 crore in the same period of previous fiscal, Exide Industries said in a filing to the BSE.

Overall expenses of the company stood at Rs 1,653.56 crore compared with Rs 1,395.07 crore in the corresponding quarter last year.

The company's board has also recommended interim dividend of Rs 1.50 per equity share.

Exide shares today closed at Rs 158.80 apiece at the end of the day's trade, down 0.56 per cent from its previous close on the BSE.